Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-07-23
BEN. HOLIDAY.
A BRIEF SKETCH OF HIS EARLY
LIFE.

1ravel-A Famous Trip-FrOm Sal,
Lake to Weston in Eight Days.
"Say, Mister TINES" exclaimed
Colonel John Donlphan, on Main
street, this morning, "you stated in
your paper yesterday that Ben Hol.
laday was born in Western New York
That was mistake. Ben and my.
self were almost raised together, and
he was a native of Blue Licks, Ken
lucky"
"Then perhaps you can tell me
something of his career that has not
been publlshed?" suggested the re-
porter.
"Well, l don't mind. although /
would rather not be quoted as au-
thority."
"But that would authenticate the
recital, Colonel, because you are pretty
we'll known west of the Missouri, YOU
see, both as lawyer, mine owner, and
frontiersman," persisted the news
paper man.
Cali right them" good naturally
replied the Colonel. "You news
paper people always get the best of US,
if we give you half a show. So, do
as you please about it,"
"Ben. Holiday came from Blue
Licks, KY, to Liberty, Mo-, to clerk
for Graham Hughes. This was in SO
or '37, and Ben. was then 16 years
old. In '39 he ran off with Smith
Calvert's daughter, married her, open
ed small stock of drugs and settled
into keeping log tavern-the only
one in the place-at Weston, Mo,
which is about three miles from Fort
Leavenworth. A little while after
he sold his tavern, kept livery stable,
and was appointed Postmaster by
President Tyler. Weston was then
the biggest town on the Missouri
river; all the mail for the forts and
the towns clear up to the Iowa line
was handled there. So Ben.'s salary
was $500 or 5000 pretty good one
for those days. In '46 he got con
tract from the Government to furnish
bacon and transportation for the troops
of General Kearney and those of
General Doniphan, which were start
ing for the Mexican War. The sup
plies had to be got, so no. price was
fixed. Ben. sent out lot of men to
pick up all the bacon and spare
wagons and oxen in the country, and
among these men was Mr.. Belt, father
OF Mrs. Joe Morrill,, of this city.
Ben. sold his supplies for good figures,
and must have cleared $4,000 or
$4,000 on the operation. The next
season, in AZ, he got several contracts,
and seemed to be able to get more of
them and at better figures than any.
body else. l remember that one con.
tract he got was for freighting to
New Mexico, and another for Fort
kearney. They were very heavy, and
he cleared considerable amounts of
money, so that in 40, when the gold
excitement broke out, he was enabled
to take to Salt Lake some $4,000
worth of goods bought in
St. Louis, in 80 to so wagons
each drawn by eight yoke of oxen.
His was the first Gentle outfit to
each Salt Lake. With his usual en-.
ergy he accompanied the train him
self, hurried it up, got to Salt Lake
before others who had left long before
nim, sold most of his goods at high
figures, and returned to the States in
The Fall. On leaving Salt Lake he, with
enterprise, endeavored
% reach Bridger without going through
Echo Canyon and the Wasatch; but
no and his negro attendant and two
packers lost their way and were only
saved from starving by finding
broken down buffalo bull which sup
olied them with meat, such as it was.
de finally made his way across the
to Bridger, and reached
Weston in October. About the first
If November '49 he went to St. Louis
md made arrangements to carry out,
he following spring, about a quarter
million dollars worth of goods, and
Ben. and myself returned to Weston
lbout the last of the month on the
asst boat that went up that season.
"The first of April, 1880, he started
'ut, hurried to Salt Lake, where he
his goods for cattle which